🌱 National Police Woman's Day + Cancer Survivor Founds Advocacy Group

Hello, everybody! Happy Hump Day! I hope your week is off to the best start possible and that the coffee is flowing. Let's take a look at some local news.

First, today's weather:

Partly sunny and pleasant.

High: 79 Low: 57.

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Here are the top five stories today in Roanoke:

1. Monday was National Police Woman's Day and to commemorate the occasion the Roanoke City Police Department shared photos of its first female recruits, Hazel Garst and Rosa Smith, from the early 1940s. Officials at the department said there were less than 200 female officers across the nation at that point in time. "In late 1943, when World War II had taken a toll on the availability of young men to fill many of the jobs that were, at the time, considered to be a 'man’s job,' Roanoke City Council made the position of police officer available for women," a spokesperson for the department said. National Police Woman's Day is celebrated every year on September 12 and acknowledges the contribution of female police officers around the country. (WSET, National Today website)
2. A Roanoke area survivor of childhood cancer now works to help others beat the odds just like she once did with an advocacy group called BeholdBeGold. Twenty years ago when she was but 10 years old, Juanita Prada was diagnosed with pre-B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a cancer of the blood. "Everything was in panic mode. I didn’t really understand. At the time, I associated cancer with dying," she said. Prada was able to beat the disease after a three-year battle that included chemotherapy and radiation. "The chemotherapy, the radiation, the procedures they all affect the brain. And that’s something that many people don’t talk about or know about. That is what BeholdBeGold is about. A movement connecting survivors, connecting the community and learning, giving resources." (WSLS, BeholdBeGold website)
3. A Roanoke area nonprofit organization, The Roanoke Financial Empowerment Center, is working to help struggling families learn ways to set and operate within a budget with its free services. The center offers financial counseling programs in partnership with the city of Roanoke, GreenPath Financial Wellness and Freedom First Enterprises, the charitable arm of Freedom First Credit Union. Classes and services include money management, budgeting, reducing debt, establishing and improving credit, connecting to safe and affordable banking services and building savings. "Be realistic. Cutting out every single 'treat' is not a realistic, or happy way to live. If buying a candy bar at the end of your day a few times a week brings you joy, buy the candy bar. But be realistic about what your treats are, and how often you can really afford to buy them, said the center's Keri Garnett in a recent interview with WDBJ Channel 7. (WDBJ, Freedom First Enterprises website)
4. Did you know there was a Romanian ATM theft crew in Roanoke? I must have missed that in my last thumb through the Yellow Pages. Anyways, Catalin Puscasu, who came to the Star City from the Eastern European nation known mostly as the home of Count Dracula, will face up to 37 months in prison at his sentencing hearing on charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Puscasu is the third defendant to plead guilty in the case in which more than $350,000 was swiped from hundreds of area ATMs using a skimming device and counterfeit debit cards. Maybe next month we'll get something more fun like a Belgian waffle squad or a French crepe corps. (Roanoke Times)
5. An investigation into the Hollins Fire and Rescue Volunteer Squad continues with Roanoke County Police and an internal auditor looking closely into the operations and funds of the department. According to search warrants obtained by WDBJ, police searched the department offices located on Barrens Road in the Peters Creek area of Roanoke County and seized one box of paperwork, though court records did not identify exactly what kind of paperwork was in the box. The volunteer squad was suspended at the beginning of the investigation and county officials want area residents to know that the matter has not affected the career staff employed by the county who operate out of the same building. Fire and rescue services remain available. (WDBJ)

Today in Roanoke:

• Wacoal Fit for the Cure Event at the Belk in Valley View (10 a.m.)
• Roanoke City Delinquent Tax Auction at the Berglund Special Events Center (Noon)
• Franklin County Agricultural Fair at Franklin County Recreation Park (5 p.m.)
• Ernest at Sidewinders Steakhouse & Saloon (7:30 p.m.)

This Weekend in Roanoke:

• Starr Hill Pilot Brewery Birthday Can Garden (Friday @ 4 p.m.)
• Friday Food Truck & Tunes at Sweet Donkey Coffee (Friday @ 5 p.m.)
• Layman Family Farms Pumpkin Patch & Corn Maze Opening Day (Saturday @ 10 a.m.)
• Henry Street Heritage Festival at Elmwood Park (Saturday @ 1 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Roanoke College: "Roanoke College has advanced to its highest ranking to date in the U.S. News & World Report's rankings of the 2022-23 Best Colleges, which were released today." (Roanoke College via Instagram)
• Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke: "😲 Endangered species alert! 😲 Researchers at Virginia Tech discovered a bog turtle on its study site that looked to be in questionable health and needed an expert opinion and they brought it to us. Bog turtles are listed as a threatened species." (Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke via Facebook)
• Roanoke Valley SPCA: "Happy tails to all of the pets who found new loving homes this past week, September 5 - 10. Congratulations adopters for bringing home your new best friends! Pictured are just a few of the pets who went home last week! 💜" (Roanoke Valley SPCA via Facebook)
• Roanoke City Public Schools: "Thank you to the William Fleming JROTC cadets who helped set up this weekend's 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb! This is a great example of how our students serve the community outside of the classroom!" (Roanoke City Public Schools via Facebook)
• Roanoke Outside: "Who's ready for a HUGE weekend of outdoor fun? Not only is it GCR, but SH is celebrating its 5th birthday. We actually got to team with PR help develop a beer earlier this year called "Taste of Beer-ocracy". So much fun!" (Roanoke Outside via Instagram)
• Downtown Roanoke, Inc.: "Have you purchased your tickets to see Brett Young live at the Budweiser Summer Series at Elmwood Park on September 30th? If not, you should! Tickets are just $39 each. 🎫 Jordan Fletcher will open the show." (Downtown Roanoke, Inc. via Instagram)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door. I'll see you tomorrow!

— Ian

About me: Ian Graham is a novelist, screenwriter, and freelance contributing writer. He is a firm believer in being yourself… unless you can be Batman. Always be Batman.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Roanoke Daily? Contact me at roanoke@patch.com